Mets rookie starter Zack Wheeler was on point tonight against the Padres, holding them to one run on seven hits and a walk over six innings. He eclipsed his previous career-best seven strikeouts, set in his Major League debut on June 18 against the Braves, getting number eight with a fourth-inning punch-out of Jedd Gyorko. He finished with 12 on the night, the 36th 12-strikeout or better game this season. Wheeler lowered his ERA to 3.43 in the effort.

The game was locked at 1-1 through seven innings. In the top of the eighth with two outs, Mike Baxter stole second base after being hit by a Luke Gregerson slider. Rather than pitch to the left-handed Daniel Murphy, Padres manager Bud Black opted to intentionally walk him to face Marlon Byrd. Byrd promptly made the Padres pay, driving a 1-1 cutter over right fielder Chris Denorfia‘s head for a two-run double, putting the Mets up 3-1.

Reliever Gonzalez Germen pitched a scoreless eighth, dancing out of some two-out trouble. John Buck added some insurance with a solo home run to left in the top of the ninth. Without LaTroy Hawkins, the Mets asked German to come back out for another inning. The right-hander promptly retired the side in short order for a 4-1 Mets victory, notching the first save of his career and becoming the fifth different Met to record a save on the season.